This invention relates to training apparatuses for horses and, more particularly, to tail set accessories including crupper padding and tail bags.
In showing American Saddlebred, Morgan, and Tennessee Walking horse breeds, it is desirable to properly present the horse's tail. The tail, which is allowed to grow very long, should be both properly groomed and held in the proper position, which is substantially erect above the horse's rump. To achieve proper positioning, these horses commonly wear tail sets to properly position the horse's tail and train the horse to hold its tail in that position. The key component of the tail set is the crupper. The crupper rests against the horse's rump just below the tail, and engages the tail to hold it in place. The other components of the tail set (back band, belly band, breast strap, etc.) generally operate to hold the crupper in place. To properly train the horse to hold the tail in the correct position, the tail set is worn at all times except in practice and in competition.
While some horses accept the tail set as a fact of life, others are less cooperative, and even the accepting horses object to the tail set when their rump or tail has been rubbed raw by the crupper. In attempts to placate the less cooperative horses and keep the horses' tails and rumps healthy, trainers have conceived of devices to guard the tail from contact with surrounding structure, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,197 to Nichols, and have tried to pad the crupper by lining it with cotton sheets, towels, and other materials. However, these materials have proven ineffective to satisfactorily pad the crupper and in some cases, inhibit the function of the crupper.
Because the horse's tail hair is typically long enough to reach the ground, the horse can step on the tail and pull out the long beautiful hair. Further, because of the proximity of the tail to the anus and urethra, proper grooming can clearly be a challenge. In attempts to keep the tail off the ground and from being soiled by feces and urine, tail bags are used to hold and substantially enclose the tails. While the current tail bags are generally effective to keep the tail off the ground, they are only partially effective at preventing urine and feces from soiling the tail. Because of how current tail bags open and how they are secured, feces and urine still make contact with the tail and occasionally urine and/or feces will be deposited directly in the bag.
Thus, it is desirable to increase the effectiveness of padding used on cruppers to enhance the presentation of horses' tails. Such an increase in effectiveness of the crupper padding also makes the horse more accepting of the tail set, so that the horse does not try and rub the crupper against surrounding structure thereby enhancing the operation of the crupper. It is further desirable to use a tail bag which prevents feces and urine from contacting the tail and being deposited in the tail bag to enhance presentation of the horse's tail and reduce the labor required to properly groom the horse's tail.